Wednesday Marks Arrival of 270 Nigerians Evacuated from South Africa

The Nigerian Federal Government is making final preparations to receive a new group of 270 of its citizens who are returning from South Africa. This upcoming flight represents the latest stage in the government’s ongoing voluntary repatriation initiative, aimed at ensuring the safe return of Nigerian nationals.

On Monday, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced that a chartered Air Peace aircraft has been assigned for this operation. The plane is scheduled to depart Lagos for Johannesburg on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. The logistical plan for this mission is designed for efficiency, with the aircraft making a swift turnaround. It will leave Lagos in the afternoon, arriving in South Africa by midnight to commence boarding of the waiting passengers immediately.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided a precise schedule for the operation in an official statement: “In continuation of the ongoing evacuation of our nationals from South Africa, the AirPeace aircraft deployed for the process is expected to depart Lagos tomorrow, Tuesday 7 July, 2026 for Johannesburg, South Africa at 3.30pm. The aircraft will depart Johannesburg for Lagos with 270 returnees at 12.00 midnight, and the estimated time of arrival at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos is 5.00am on Wednesday, 8 July, 2026, all things being equal.”

This imminent arrival will be the fourth successful flight under the current government-supported evacuation scheme. The program operates through a collaborative effort between federal authorities and local aviation partners, providing assistance to citizens who wish to return to Nigeria.

In Lagos, emergency management agencies, immigration officials, and airport authorities are already setting up reception procedures to facilitate the smooth processing of the 270 passengers upon their early morning arrival on Wednesday. These protocols will include necessary documentation updates and brief profiling sessions to aid the returnees in their reintegration.